Graphic Communications & Design Intern Review

As with any placement that extends for 13 months, there's going to be highs and lows. However, I can honestly say that the highs greatly outnumbered the lows. Having had the chance to get involved with a huge variety of different projects, from a CEO attended event to creating employee magazines distributed throughout the UK and Ireland. I was able to work with a variety of teams, all of which really valued my graphical input.

At Hewlett Packard Enterprise we have an entire system dedicated to recognition. Colleagues can recognise each other by sending a eCertificate or badge which is also sent via your manager to highlight your work and efforts. Within this system there are also recognition points that can be spent on just anything! As I received a number of these recognitions throughout my internship, it definitely made me feel value and a core member of my team. I also received verbal and written feedback and compliments for the majority of projects I completed.

If ever I was in a position where I was unsure on what to do, either my host manager, manager or another colleague were always more than willing to help provide guidance on how to proceed. Everyone whom I worked with detailed their requests which I would then design a proposal in response. We would then work together to ensure the outcome was of the desired standard.

As my role was Graphic & Communication Design, it meant that my work was mostly AdHoc and therefore differed to the majority of other positions. This meant that I was able to work with other teams aside from my core team, increasing my work flow. Projects ranged from creating and designing professional PowerPoints to creating videos highlighting best practices. I also encouraged colleagues around me to take advantage of having my skills readily available which also created a fair amount of work.

From the word go I had a fairly big responsibility. Three months into my internship I was working on collateral to be used at a CEO attended event. A huge number of Hewlett Packard Enterprises VPs, EVPs and SVPs were also in attendance to this event so there was a huge amount of visibility and ultimately responsibility in order to ensure everything was on brand and completed to a professional standard. One of the main responsibilities for this event included designing and creating the master PowerPoint that was displayed whilst our speakers were on stage. With regards to my responsibility within my team, over the course of the year I began working on documents for management further up the organization.

Before beginning my placement I was unsure of the direction I wanted to peruse after university. However my time at Hewlett Packard Enterprise has narrows down my direction. It has given me a huge insight into what it's like to work as an in-house graphic design for a global company. I never expected to find myself in the corporate environment but it has been an experience I have relished. In terms of skills that I have gained from my internship one of the main ones is to understand the difference between getting something done and getting something done and knowing when it's appropriate. Other skills include; the ability to easily communicate with colleagues and senior management both face-to-face and over Skype, time management, corporate functionality and general confidence.

There was always a positive atmosphere within the office I worked in and a very strong work ethic. As there is such a large intern intake, the hot desk area was generally where the majority of us were located and within that there was always a good atmosphere. You were able to talk freely whilst getting your work done, as well as being able to turn to a colleague for help should you need it.

Overall the internship has been really well organized. The first week was full of onboarding, which allowed me to get used to the new environment and the level of expectation from members of staff. Since then, any events or opportunities I have been involved with have all ran smoothly. But as with everything, there is always room for improvement.

Unfortunately as Hewlett Packard Enterprise outsource the vast majority of design work to their approved agencies, future employment isn't really an option. There is the possibility to come back in a marketing role or potentially within the brand team. However, this possibility will only be available if there are open requisitions within these areas at the time of reapplying.

Within the office I work, there is a huge cohort of interns (roughly 85) all of which are of a similar age so there is a huge social aspect to the internship. There are plenty of volunteering opportunities to get involved with too which are always get fun. During my time I have been involved with the STOP hunger now event, TechCamp and also gardening at a local allotment. Lots of the other interns have also been involved in football and netball teams.

I was based in the Bracknell office which is a short drive away from Reading. Reading is a big university town so there is a huge amount of housing all of which is very reasonably priced (£300-£500 rent per month depending how many you live with.) The town centre has a top selection of highs street shops, bars and restaurants, again all of which are reasonably priced. London is only a 30 minute train ride away should you want to take a trip to the capital.

As previously stated Reading is largely dominated by the university so there is a big selection of bars, restaurants and clubs that cater for all tastes. Prices vary depending on the venue but generally the majority are well priced. When the university term starts there is a surge in the number of people which adds to the atmosphere!